MPs call for total smoking ban

MPs and peers across the political spectrum have today demanded a total ban on smoking and urged the prime minister to drop proposals to make pubs not serving food and private members clubs exempt.

The health improvement and protection bill to ban smoking in all workplaces and enclosed public spaces has been welcomed by ministers and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), but both groups today asked Tony Blair to ban smoking in all public places without exception.

The letter from the MPs and peers stated that, "the government cannot, and in our view, should not, ignore the majority voice of people and politicians".

"Introducing legislation with exemptions and loopholes would deny protection to the many thousands of workers in the hospitality industry who are currently exposed to high levels of secondhand smoke, and substantially increase health inequalities in the poorest communities," it added.

However, the TUC has gone one step further and asked that 'cancer rooms', enclosed places in pubs and bars where smokers can have a cigarette but cannot order drinks, also be banned.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the congress welcome the efforts of the politicians to impose a total but said that TUC members "are concerned that not all loopholes will be closed, and that another last minute compromise of allowing pubs to have 'cancer rooms' will be introduced.

"Staff will still have to clear and clean cancer rooms, and it cannot be guaranteed that smoke will not leak into the rest of a pub," he added.

Anti-smoking charities also wrote to the prime minister, supporting the ban, which they believe will help more smokers quit.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics last year found that a third of people wanted a total ban on smoking in public places, an increase of ten per cent since the year before.

NetDoctor, part of the Hearst UK wellbeing network
Netdoctor participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.